Latest court ruling has Kari Lake poised to lose her way into U.S. Senate

Kari Lake is defying logic, defying the odds and, even more impressive, defying the oddsmakers.

Since getting soundly beaten in the race for Arizona governor, and then losing again in court challenge after court challenge after court challenge, Lake is proof positive that, in politics, losing is … winning.

At least the way she loses.

Most recently, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson slapped down each of Lake’s meritless claims of a rigged or illegal or botched election with the simple, declarative sentence “confirming the election of Katie Hobbs as Arizona Governor.”

I’d guess this caused Lake’s campaign minions to secretly cheer.

Yes. Cheer.

Kari Lake copied the Donald Trump blueprint

Lake began her campaign following the blueprint of her Dear Leader, former President Donald Trump.

She essentially declared, without any proof, as did Trump, that the only way she could lose is if the election was rigged.

Then, she lost.

Her ongoing legal challenges of that loss kept her in the limelight, however.

Mistakes made at trial: Yet Lake's judge showed leniency

She became a darling of Trump, joining what looks like a sorority of Stepford Wives who break out a different ball gown each night in order to pose for pictures with The Donald at Mar-a-Lago.

Then, Lake did what only the most clever disciples of a cult leader can do.

She expanded the playbook.

Now, she's out-Trumping Trump at his own game

Lake has been raising money on her grievances at a pace even Trump would admire.

She has made herself into the most well-known Republican politician in Arizona and one of the most well known in the United States, all without ever being elected to anything.

Now, having lost this last challenge in Superior Court, Lake is primed to lose her way into the U.S. Senate.

Polls taken show Lake comfortably ahead of any other Republican who might be interested in vying for their party’s nomination.

And she’s clearly interested, already having met with a gaggle of Republican senators, including the head of the Senate GOP’s campaign committee, Montana’s Steve Daines.

A potential three-way race between Lake, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and Democratic challenger Ruben Gallego might allow Lake to “Evan Mecham” her way into office. (Google it, Arizona newcomers.)

If she wins the Senate, it's like Orwell said

Once there, Lake would be the Marjorie Taylor Greene of the Senate, a legislatively ineffectual do-nothing who is better than anyone in office in spreading conspiracy theories, trashing the opposition, bowing to Trump and, most importantly, getting attention.

Lake is, without exaggeration, further proof that the three slogans George Orwell concocted for the Ministry of Truth in the novel “1984” have come to fruition.

“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”

Yeah, particularly that last one.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

For more opinions content, please subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake now poised to lose her way into U.S. Senate